Kirovskaya Oblast

Kirovskaya Oblast is one of the largest regions of the Russian Federation. It is situated in the northeast of the European part of Russia. The area of its territory is 120,8 thousand square kilometers. Distance between the northern and southern points is 570 km, between the western and eastern points - 440 km.

Kirovskaya Oblast is situated in the eastern part of the East European plain. In the south the oblast borders upon Tatarstan, the Mari El Republic, in the west - upon Vologodskaya Oblast, in the north - Arkhangelskaya Oblast, the Republic of Komi, in the northeast - upon the Komi-Permyatsky Autonomous Okrug, in the southeast the oblast borders upon the Udmurt Republic. The biggest rivers are the Vyatka and Kama.

The climate is moderate continental. Average temperature of January is 14 degrees centigrade below zero, average temperature of July is +17 degrees. Precipitations are about 500 mm a year. The region was formed on December 7, 1934. The total area is 120,8 thousand sq. km. (0,71 % of the whole territory of the Russian Federation, 33rd in the list). Kirovskaya Oblast is divided into 39 districts, 19 cities and towns, 4 urban districts, 58 urban villages, 580 villages. The centre of the region is Kirov. The city was founded in 1374. Distance to Moscow is 896 km. The city consists of 4 districts: Leninsky, Oktyabrsky, Pervomaysky, Novovyatsky.

People of more than 100 nationalities live in Kirovskaya Oblast. The biggest ethnic groups (1989) are the Russians (90,4 %), the Tatars (2,7 %), the Maris (2,6 %), the Udmurts (1,4 %), the Ukrainians (1,1 %).

Railway lines run through the oblast connecting the centre of Russia with the North, Ural, Siberia and the Far East. General extension of railway is 1600 kilometers. The basic canal here is the river Vyatka (2000 kilometers).

The oblast is known for its one of the largest Russian enterprises for nonferrous metal working. Kirovskaya Oblast is the only manufacturer of tubing guides in Russia and the countries of the CIS. It is also a leader in production of high-precision profiles, fur goods and footwear.

Kirovskaya Oblast is famous for its significant historical and cultural legacy. There are 3588 monuments of archeology, history, town-planning and architecture in the region.

The Vyatka region became the native land for such remarkable Russian writers as A.S.Grin and Nikolay Zabolotsky.

The Vyatka region was always famous for its national great talents and skilled craftsmen. Since antiquity in the village of Dymkovo were made ceramic painted goods - clay toys and figurines (for the first time it was mentioned in 1582). The oblast is world-famous for the Bronnikov's wooden clocks, the Vyatka accordion, its wooden toys and the Vyatka lace.
REGIONS OF RUSSIA